Pick-up and delivery system and associated methods

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a pick-up and delivery system including a pick-up assembly and a delivery assembly. The pick-up assembly includes a robotic arm, a pick-up device rotatably mounted on the robotic arm, and a first vacuum pressure supply port operably connected to the pick-up device. The delivery assembly includes an insertion device. The insertion device may include an insertion member having a tip and a release assistance piston arranged inside the insertion member. The release piston is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. When the release assistance piston is in the extended position, a proximal end of is substantially flush with an end of the insertion member. Further aspects are directed towards methods for grasping and releasing an object with a pick-up and delivery system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/156,125, filed Jun. 8, 2011, which is entitled to and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/359,930 filed Jun. 30, 2010, and titled “Pick-up and Delivery System and Associated Methods,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is directed generally to material handling systems, and particularly to pick-up and delivery systems for use with plant embryos.

BACKGROUND

Modern agriculture, including silviculture, often requires planting of large numbers of substantially identical plants that are genetically tailored to grow optimally in a particular locale or to possess certain other desirable traits. Production of new plants by sexual reproduction can be slow and is often subject to genetic events resulting in variable traits in its progeny. As a result, asexual propagation has been shown to yield large numbers of genetically identical embryos for some species. Such embryos are typically further cultured under laboratory conditions until they mature into an autotrophic “seedling” state characterized by an ability to produce their own food via photosynthesis, to resist desiccation, to produce roots able to penetrate soil, and to fend off soil microorganisms.

Researchers have experimented in asexual propagation with the production of artificial seeds known as “manufactured seeds.” Manufactured seeds typically include the following components: a seed shell, a synthetic gametophyte, and a plant embryo. A manufactured seed that does not contain a plant embryo is known in the industry as a “seed blank.” The seed blank is typically a cylindrical capsule made from biodegradable plastic having an open end and a closed end. Manufactured seeds are produced by placing the synthetic gametophyte within the seed shell such that it substantially fills the interior of the seed shell. A longitudinally extending hard porous insert, known in the industry as a “cotyledon restraint,” may be centrally located within the synthetic gametophyte. The cotyledon restraint includes a centrally located cavity extending partially through its length and is sized to receive the plant embryo. The plant embryo is approximately 4 to 7 millimeters in length and roughly 0.5 millimeters in diameter. The shape of the plant embryo is somewhat cylindrical, but is also irregular in cross-section and varies in diameter along its length. The plant embryo contains both a radicle (or root) end and a cotyledon end. The plant embryo is deposited into cavity of the cotyledon restraint oriented so that the cotyledon end is inserted first. Subsequently, the plant embryo is typically sealed within the seed shell using at least one end seal.

Numerous types of plant embryo delivery systems have been used to transfer the plant embryo through the manufactured seed production line. Examples of such systems include U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,564, U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,139, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,603,807, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Although known systems have been effective in transporting plant embryos, problems are often encountered. For example, in some applications, embryos are hydrated to prevent damage from desiccation. These moist and sticky embryos often remain attached to plant embryo delivery systems and may be damaged during removal attempts. Even if the embryo is not damaged, sticking can also cause improper orientation or placement in the seed shell. Either scenario results in the possibility of wasting viable embryos, which is costly in commercial applications.

Thus, there is a need in the industry to develop new systems and methods for plant embryo pick-up and delivery. Ideally such systems will be suitable for transferring a viable embryo through a manufactured seed production line with minimized sticking to the components and/or damage to the embryo.

SUMMARY

The following summary is provided for the benefit of the reader only and is not intended to limit in any way the invention as set forth by the claims. The present disclosure is directed generally towards material handling systems, and particularly to pick-up and delivery systems for use with plant embryos.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a pick-up and delivery system including a pick-up assembly and a delivery assembly. The pick-up assembly includes a robotic arm, a pick-up device rotatably mounted on the robotic arm, and a vacuum pressure supply port operably connected to the pick-up device. The delivery assembly includes an insertion device having an insertion member and a release assistance piston arranged inside the insertion member. The release assistance piston is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. When the release assistance piston is in the extended position, it is flush with the proximal end of the insertion member.

Further aspects are directed towards methods for grasping and releasing an object with the pick-up and delivery system. In some embodiments, such methods include the steps of moving the pick-up device to a first location to grasp the object, supplying vacuum pressure to the tip opening of the pick-up device, and grasping the object at the tip opening with the supplied vacuum pressure. The pick-up device and the object are then moved to a second location. The object is placed at least partially into the receptacle and held there with the pick-up device. The insertion member is second to surround the pick-up device and the object, the release assistance piston being in the retracted position. The object is the released into the receptacle by removing vacuum pressure to the tip opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is better understood by reading the following description of non-limitative embodiments with reference to the attached drawings wherein like parts of each of the figures are identified by the same reference characters, and are briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a pick-up and delivery system according to embodiments of the disclosure during embryo handoff;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a plant embryo suitable for use with embodiments according to the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a pick-up device according to embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic three-dimensional view of another pick-up device according to embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a delivery assembly according to embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic three-dimensional view of an insertion member and a release assistance piston in an extended position according to embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the insertion member and the release assistance piston in a retracted position according to embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the delivery assembly;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a pick-up device according to embodiments of the disclosure grasping the plant embryo;

FIG. 10 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the delivery assembly during embryo insertion;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the plant embryo being oriented into a receptacle according to embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the insertion member trapping the plant embryo according to embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the delivery assembly during embryo insertion; and

FIG. 14 is a side view of the plant embryo being inserted into the receptacle according to embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure describes, generally, material handling systems, and, particularly, pick-up and delivery systems for use with plant embryos. Specifically the disclosure is directed to a pick-up and delivery system that grasps small objects such as those having dimensions of about 0.2 to about 10 millimeters in width and about 2 to about 20 millimeters in length. While the present disclosure describes examples used for handling plant embryos, it will be appreciated that the scope of the disclosure includes handling other objects having similar dimensions.

Certain specific details are set forth in the following description and FIGS. 1-14 to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the disclosure. Well-known structures, systems, and methods often associated with such systems have not been shown or described in details to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of various embodiments of the disclosure. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that additional embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without several of the details described below.

In this disclosure, the term “object” is used to describe any object having dimensions suitable for pick-up and delivery using systems according to the disclosure (e.g., plant embryos, plant tissue, any sort of seed). The term “plant embryo” is used to describe part of a seed consisting of precursor tissues for the leaves, stem, and root, as well as one or more cotyledons. The disclosure is not intended to be limited to any particular type of seed. For example, embodiments according to the disclosure are suitable for use with plant embryos related to agricultural seeds, seeds for producing trees, or any other type of seed.

FIG. 1 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a pick-up and delivery system 100 according to embodiments of the disclosure. The pick-up and delivery system 100 may include a pick-up assembly 102 and a delivery assembly 104. In some embodiments, the pick-up assembly 102 and the delivery assembly 104 are arranged on a storage assembly 106 as part of a production line. The storage assembly 106 may include one or more cavities 108, each of the one or more cavities 108 being configured to hold a receptacle 110. Each receptacle 110 is configured to hold one or more objects. The objects may have a diameter between about 0.2 to about 10.0 millimeters and a length between about 2.0 to about 20 millimeters.

In the Figures, the object is a plant embryo in a manufactured seed production line. Referring to FIG. 2, a plant embryo 200 is shown having a radicle (or root) end 202 and a cotyledon end 204. The root (or radicle) end 202 generally has the weakest cells, making it prone to damage. Referring back to FIG. 1, the one or more receptacles 110 may be seed shells having cotyledon restraint cavities. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that although the examples describe systems and methods for handling plant embryos, embodiments according to the disclosure may be used with other types of objects in other types of production lines. Further, while embodiments of the Figures show examples in which a single object is inserted into a receptacle, embodiments of the disclosure are intended to include systems for placing more than one object in a single receptacle.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the pick-up assembly 102 may include a robotic arm 112, a pick-up device 114, and a first vacuum supply port (not visible in FIG. 1). The robotic arm may have one or more hinge points 116 enabling it to translate and rotate in various directions with respect to the delivery assembly 104 and the storage assembly 106. The pick-up device 114 may be rotatably mounted on the robotic arm 112, allowing it to rotate 360 degrees.

Components of embodiments of the pick-up assembly 102 will now be described in further detail. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a schematic three-dimensional view of the pick-up device 114 according to embodiments of the disclosure is depicted. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the pick-up device 114 includes a tube member 302 and a tip opening 304. In some embodiments, the tube member 302 may include a section 306 having a first diameter and a second section 308 having a second diameter. In some embodiments, the tub member 302 may be several concentric tubes of varying diameters. The tip opening 304 may be sized so that it is capable of picking up objects having dimensions of about 0.2 to about 10 millimeters in width and about 2 to about 20 millimeters in length. Embodiments of the disclosure include tip opening 304 which may pick up objects having varying sizes within this specified range. Examples of suitable ranges for tip openings 304 according to embodiments of the disclosure include an outer diameter ranging from about 0.04 inches to about 0.08 inches and an inner diameter ranging from about 0.02 inches to about 0.06 inches. Components of the pick-up device 114 may be made from metal, Teflon, or other suitable materials known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The pick-up device 114 may be rotatably mounted on the robotic arm 112 using a first collar 310 and a second collar 312. Accordingly, the pick-up device 114 may rotate or spin as shown by arrow 314. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that mounting systems other than those explicitly shown in the Figures may be used provided such systems enable rotation and translation of the pick-up device 114.

Embodiments of the disclosure may be effective to balance the varied needs associated with material handling systems used for objects having the specified dimensions. On one hand, there are many reasons to minimize the tip opening 304 surface area contacting the object so that the object does not stick to the pick-up device 114. At the same time, if the tip opening 304 is too small, the object may be damaged during pick-up. Further, if the tube member 302 is too small, it may become unstable and wobble while it is being rotated and translated. Accordingly, the tube member 302 with sections having varied diameters (e.g., the first section 306 and the second section 308) may be provide stability during rotation and translation while the smaller tip opening 304 enables the pick-up device 114 to grasp and release varying sizes of objects without damage or sticking.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, a first vacuum supply port 316 is shown connected to the pick-up device 114. The first vacuum pressure supply port 316 is also connected to a vacuum pressure source (not shown). Accordingly, the first vacuum pressure supply port 316 may be configured to supply vacuum pressure to the tip opening 304 of the pick-up device 114.

In some manufactured seed production lines, machine vision systems are used for selection of embryos. Accordingly, in some embodiments, portions of the pick-up device 114 or the entire pick-up device 114 may be coated with a substance for reducing reflectivity. Referring to FIG. 4, an exemplary coating 318 is shown on the pick-up device 114. Coatings 318 suitable for use with embodiments according to the disclosure include rubber, plastic, or any non-glossy material having shading that is in contrast to the color of the object. For example, if the object is light, the coating 318 should be dark and vice versa. In some embodiments such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, O-rings 320 may be surround portions of the tube member 320. Alternatively if the pick-up device 114 is constructed from metal, a portion of it may be sandblasted to reduce reflectivity.

Components of embodiments of the delivery assembly 104 will now be described in further detail. Referring to FIG. 5, a schematic three-dimensional view of the delivery assembly 104 according to embodiments of the disclosure is depicted. In FIG. 5, the delivery assembly 104 includes an insertion device 502. In some embodiments, the insertion device 502 includes a housing 504 mounted on a frame 506. The frame 506 may be located in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the storage assembly 106 (not visible in FIG. 5). An actuation mechanism 508 enables the housing 504 to be moved (as indicated by arrow 510) between a first position (shown in FIG. 1) and a second position (shown in FIG. 5) with respect to the storage assembly 106. The first position may be a raised position and the second position may be a lowered position. Alternatively, the first and second positions may be horizontal, skewed, or arranged in any other configuration known to a person or ordinary skill in the art. The actuation mechanism 508 may be a hydraulic actuation system, an electric actuation system, or any other actuation system known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, the insertion device 502 is also moveable to a number of intermediate positions between the first position and the second position.

Embodiments of the insertion device 502 further include an insertion member 512 and a release assistance piston 514, which are described in further detail with reference to FIGS. 6-8. In FIGS. 6-8, the insertion member 512 is shown arranged in the housing 504. In some embodiments, the insertion member 512 may have a substantially cylindrical or tubular shape. In some embodiments, other shapes that would be suitable to a person of ordinary skill in the art may be used. The insertion member 512 has an end 602. In some embodiments, the end 602 of the insertion member 512 may also include a notched opening 604 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Referring again to FIGS. 6 and 7, the release assistance piston 514 may be a solid piston made from metal, Teflon or another suitable material arranged concentrically inside the insertion member 512. The release assistance piston 514 has a proximal end 606 and a distal end 608. If the insertion member 512 has a tubular shape, the release assistance piston 514 should also have a tubular shape. Accordingly, if the insertion member 512 has another shape, the release assistance piston 514 may be designed to fit tightly inside the insertion member 512. The release assistance piston 514 is moveable within the insertion member 512 between an extended position (shown in FIG. 6) and a retracted position (shown in FIG. 7). In FIG. 6, the release assistance piston 514 is shown in the extended position with the proximal end 606 being substantially flush with the end 602 of the insertion member 512. In some embodiments, the proximal end 606 of the release assistance may extend slightly beyond the end 602. In FIG. 7, the release assistance piston 514 is shown in the retracted position; therefore, the proximal end 606 is completely inside the insertion member 512 and is not visible.

Referring back to FIG. 5, the release assistance piston 514 is moveable between the extended position and the second position by an actuation assembly including one or more air cylinders 516, an arm mechanism 518, and a shoulder screw 520. Other types of actuation assemblies that are known to a person of ordinary skill in the art may be substituted for the actuation assembly explicitly described. In addition, in some embodiments, the release assistance piston 514 is moveable between the extended position, the retracted position, and one or more intermediate positions.

Methods for using systems according to the disclosure for grasping and releasing objects will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 9-14. In some embodiments, methods according to the disclosure include moving the pick-up device 114 to a first location to grasp the object (e.g., the plant embryo 200). In embodiments related to manufactured seed production lines, the pick-up device 114 may be moved over a single plant embryo 200 near the geometric center of the plant embryo 200 as shown in FIG. 9. A vacuum pressure is supplied via the vacuum pressure supply port 316 to the tip opening 304 of the pick-up device 114 enabling the pick-up device 114 to lift and hold the object.

The pick-up device 114 carrying the object (e.g., plant embryo 200) is then rotated and translated (e.g., via the robotic arm 112) in order to move the object to a second location. In some embodiments, the insertion device 502 may move towards the receptacle 110 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 10. In some embodiments, the pick-up device 114 places the object at least partially into the receptacle 110 as shown in FIG. 11. In embodiments related to manufactured seed, the receptacle 110 is a seed blank having a receptacle opening 1002, a washer 1004, and a cotyledon restraint 1006. The plant embryo 200 is generally inserted into receptacle cotyledon end 204 first. The object may be held at least partially in the receptacle 110 with the pick-up device 114 while the insertion member 512 lowers toward a receptacle opening 1002 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The notched opening 604 in the insertion member 512 allows the insertion member 512 to move to the tip opening 304 of the pick-up device 114 without contacting the pick-up device 114. Accordingly, the insertion member 512 may effectively trap the object. The release assistance piston 514 is in the retracted position as shown in FIG. 12.

After the object has been oriented, it may be released into the receptacle by removing vacuum pressure to the tip opening 304. In some embodiments, this is enough to release the object. If the object remains stuck, a puff of compressed air may be released through the pick-up device 114. After the vacuum pressure is removed, the pick-up device 114 may retract. The insertion device 502 may then be moved to the second position as shown in FIG. 12 if it has already not been second close enough to the receptacle 110. Additionally, in some embodiments, one or more puffs of compressed air may be used to clean the pick-up device 114 and prepare it for grasping another object.

In some embodiments, release of vacuum pressure and assistance from the notched opening 604 may not be sufficient to facilitate release of the object. In such situations, the release assistance piston 514 may be moved to the extended position to assist in fully inserting the object into the receptacle 110. As shown in FIG. 14, when moved to the extended position, the release assistance piston 514 is approximately flush with the distal end 604 of the insertion member 512. In some embodiments, the plunging motion of the release assistance piston 514, which fits tightly in the insertion member 512, is expected to deposit the object into the receptacle 110 without damaging it. In embodiments related to manufactured seed, after the plant embryo 200 has been deposited into the receptacle 110, the receptacle may be sealed according to methods well known to person of ordinary skill in the art.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the disclosure. For example, minor modifications to the mechanical components of the pick-up assembly 102 and delivery assembly 104 that would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the disclosure. Further, the shapes and operation of specific components may be modified in a manner that would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit of the disclosure.

Aspects of the disclosure described in the context of particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. For example, aspects of the disclosure described with respect to manufactured seed applications may be used in applications related to other material handling systems. Further, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the disclosure may have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims. 

What is claimed:
 1. An apparatus for inserting plant material into a receptacle comprising: an insertion member having a tip moveable between a first position and a second position, the tip configured to receive plant material from a pick up device; and a release assistance piston arranged inside the insertion member, the release assistance piston having a proximal end configured to release the plant material into the receptacle when the release assistance piston is in an extended position.
 2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the plant material comprises an embryo.
 3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the tip comprises a diameter having a size that is approximately the size of a width of the receptacle.
 4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the receptacle comprises a seed shell.
 5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the tip comprises an opening in a sidewall, the opening configured to allow the insertion member to capture the plant material without contacting the pick up device.
 6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the tip of the insertion member is configured to move vertically with respect to an opening in the receptacle.
 7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the insertion member has a tubular shape.
 8. A plant material production system, comprising: a retainer for a plant material receptacle; and a plant material insertion apparatus configured to insert plant material into the plant material receptacle, the plant material insertion apparatus comprising an elongated insertion member having a tip, the elongated insertion member configured to move toward and away from the retainer in a substantially vertical direction, the tip configure to receive the plant material from a pick up device to insert the plant material into the plant material receptacle.
 9. The plant material production system as recited in claim 9 wherein the plant material comprises an embryo.
 10. The plant material production system as recited in claim 9 wherein the retainer is configured to retain the receptacle comprising a manufactured seed shell.
 11. The plant material production system as recited in claim 9 wherein the tip comprises a diameter having a size that is approximately the size of a width of the receptacle.
 12. The plant material production system as recited in claim 9 wherein the tip comprises an opening in a sidewall, the opening configured to allow the insertion member to capture the plant material from the pick-up device while allowing the pick-up device to retract.
 13. The plant material production system as recited in claim 9 further comprising the pick-up device, wherein the pick-up device is configured to move the plant material horizontally relative to the receptacle.
 14. A plant material production method, comprising: retaining a plant material receptacle; moving the plant material over the receptacle using a pick up device; and inserting plant material into the plant material receptacle using an elongated insertion member having a tip by moving the elongated insertion member toward and away from the plant material receptacle in a substantially vertical direction.
 15. The plant material production method as recited in claim 14 wherein the plant material comprises precursor tissue.
 16. The plant material production method as recited in claim 14 wherein the plant material receptacle comprises a manufactured seed shell.
 17. The plant material production method as recited in claim 14 wherein the tip comprises a diameter having a size that is approximately the size of a width of the plant material receptacle so that the tip captures the plant material from the pick-up device.
 18. The plant material production method as recited in claim 14 further comprising: trapping the plant material within the insertion member; and removing the pick-up device through an opening in a sidewall of the insertion member.
 19. The plant material production method as recited in claim 9 further comprising moving the plant material horizontally relative to the plant material receptacle into a position over the plant material receptacle and releasing the plant material from the pick-up device.
 20. The plant material production method as recited in claim 9 further comprising moving the plant material into the plant material receptacle by moving a piston disposed within the insertion member into an extended position. 